Coal-washing machine



G. LAUDER. Goal-Washing Machine.

Patented June 8, I880.

Wfiuesses.

N.FETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C

h-JNiTED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

GEORGE LAUDER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COAL-WASHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,465, dated June 8, 1880. Application filed January 12, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LAUDER, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for VVashing Coal; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 is a detail View.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

My present invention consists in certain improvements in the coal-washing machines patented to me on 'May 30, 1871, and October 3, 1876. As shown, the piston-chamber a, the piston I), the separating-tank c, with its perforated plate d, the trap f, and the settling-tank g, are of substantially the same construction as those shown in one or both of my former patents. These machines operate to separate the coal or coke from the refuse matter with which it is mingled by the agitation of the water in the separating-tank, causing the particles to arrange themselves accordin g to their different specific gravities. Thus the slag and heavy slate go to the bottom, and are gradually accumulated against the discharge side of the tank. The fine slate and pyrites of iron constitute a second layer, while the coal or coke goes over into the settling-tank and is saved. When, however, the slag and slate bank up against the discharge side of the tank,

they must be removed, as they fill up the tank,

cause the impurities to be washed over with the coal, and impede the operation of the machine. This necessitates frequent stoppages, and consequently loss of time and reduced capacity.

To obviate this frequent cleaning out, and to effect a more thorough separation, I extend across the, chamber 0, above the perforated plate (I, and preferably about one-fourth of the length of the chamber from the bridge h, an adjustable gate or partition, 2', provided with racks 7c at the ends, and raised and lowered by pinions l on the shaft m, said gate or partition 2' extending down to the sieve or perforated bed-plate d. The effect of this gate is, that the slag and heavy slate collect against it, and are retained in the first compartment, 0, of the chamber 0, while the lighter particles of slate and the pyrites go over it with the coal or coke and are caught in the second compartment, 0 where they are subjected to a second separation. As the compartment 0 is distant from the piston-chamber a, the impulse given to the water is less and better adapted to the gravity of the material which has passed partition or gate i, so that only the coal and coke go over the bridge, while the light particles of slate and the pyrites which have passed gatei settle in compartment 0 The upper edge of the gate 1 is preferably below the level of the bridge h,- but if the sides of the tank are higher it may be on a level with the bridge.

When it is necessary to clean out the machine it is done by raising the gates t and n and drawing out the refuse through the trap f. This construction reduces the cleaning one-half, and effects a more rapid and thorough separation, because, owing to the banking of the slate and refuse according to its gravity at two points on the perforated bed-plate, and because the heavier slate is not permitted to accumulate near the bridge h, greater quantities of refuse may be permitted to accumulate on the perforated bed-plate before the operations of the machine will be obstructed thereby.

Heretofore it has been customary to permit the water to run off from the settling-tank g, the coal being taken out by perforated elevator-buckets working on a belt on pulleys at 0 and p.

In my present machine I have a centrifugal pump, (1, of ordinary construction, operated by the shaft 0 of the elevator, which draws the water from the upper part of the tank g, and forces it up a pipe, r, to the receiving end of the machine, where it is discharged into the hopper s in a wide stream from the flattened mouth 1* of the pipe r. By thus taking the water from the upper part of the settling-tank g, 1- permit the fine coal to settle and mix intimately with the larger coals, which is a material advantage in the manufacture of coke from the productfirst, as a great saving of the fine coal, and secondly, because the coke from such a mixture will be more uniform.

The material to be cleaned is thrown or shovelcd into the hopper s, and is washed down by the water from pipe 1' through the spout t into the compartment 0. By this means I am enabled to operate my machine with but a limited supply of water, and by reason of the two compartments 0 0 I expose the material to an additional washing.

In case a screen were used in the tank 9 the pump would draw the water from below the screen.

In this machine all of the product goes into the settling-tank, and the water is withdrawn from at or near the top, thus not interfering with the collection of the valuable material at the bottom.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. I11 a machine for separating coal, slate, &c., the combination, with a single tank and its perforated bed-plate or sieve, of a dam which divides the space above the perforated hedplate into two separating-chambers, one of said chambers being distant from the plunger which gives the impulse to the water in the tank and near the bridge or delivery of the separator, whereby the heavier slate will be banked in the first compartment and the 

